Garden Club Helps Things Grow

The Women of the South Davis Garden Club are my "mothers". Mary Sue Bishop mentioned yesterday how the "Mother" in us makes us nurturers. The reason they garden is becuase they like to help things grow. She said that every year she gets the "after Christmas blues" that last until she starts looking at her seed catelogs. But when she carefully places one tiny seed in each of hundreds of small cells of dirt in her livingroom each early spring, and waters them with a spray bottle, and keeps them warm (but not too warm) until they sprout, she feels the excitement of new life. These ladies are so willing to share the things they have learned through their experiences to help those of us with less experience have more successes and less failures.
Its funny how, like mothers of children, these women emphasize common sense and taking into account the individual differences of each plant or seed when they talk about gardening. But where do we get that "common sense"? Most of these women talk of someone who taught them in the beginning like their mother or father. And the other source of "common sense" seems to be talking to each other about what mistakes they have made, problems they have had, and successes that have worked well.

They say that as you grow things, you will get a feel for how things are supposed to be, just like baking cookies. All of this fits together. They are suggesting that in baking cookies, raising children, and growing plants, you do things in combination over and over. Sometimes your combination works well, sometimes not so well. When it doesn't work so well, it isn't too serious because you'll get another chance at it. When it does work well, pay attention and do it the same again. Lucille Johnson, popular author and lecturer is quoted as saying, "If your a good mother 60% of the time, you're a good mother."

In raising our children, thank goodness we don't have to start without "recipies" for success. Our church leaders give us recipes for successful families alot. Do we follow them as faithfully as we do the recipes for the foods we cook? And we have an inside look at what our parents did to help our family grow. Did it work well? If so, do the same things. If not, you know at least one thing to avoid. Let's pay attention.
Last of all, why are we willing to share our failures in raising plants, but we try to keep our failures at raising children secret. Why are we ashamed? Are we so proud that we want everyone to think we never make mistakes? That is dishonest. Or are we lacking in faith that, despite our mistakes, it will all work out in the end.

I knew a mother who once said, "It's too bad that children aren't like pancakes and you can throw away the first batch." But I am glad that children are better than pancakes. They are resillient. Even if we parents make mistakes in raising them, given time, they turn out pretty good.
I love what the Bountiful City gardener, Marque Randall, says, "Don't worry so much about your plants. They WANT to grow." I think that is true with children too.
It gives me hope as I raise my family and as I try to grow plants.